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Health & Beauty Benefits of Aloe Vera

Aloe vera is a powerful medicinal plant that can be beneficial for a variety of ailments – especially skin conditions. But what many people don’t know is that the aloe vera plant goes beyond just being a topical treatment since it’s also beneficial for issues found inside of the body. With a reputation of being the go-to cure for many skin conditions and medical issues, it’s no wonder why mothers around the world have kept an Aloe plant in their house.

The aloe vera plant is originally from North Africa, but can now be found anywhere in the world. Since it has been used for centuries, you can trust that aloe vera is a safe and organic method of healing the body. Now here is a look at how you can benefit from the aloe vera plant.

Beauty Benefits of Aloe Vera

Hair Product

As mentioned before, your skin is one major area of the body that will benefit from aloe vera; but did you know that your hair can also benefit from this super plant? Use aloe vera to tame your frizz before blow-drying and styling your hair. Conditioners and anti-frizz products not containing silicone usually feature aloe as an anti-frizz ingredient because the aloe can also close the cuticle and make your hair easier to manage. The aloe is especially good for hair that’s prone to damage or dryness. So with that being said, switch out your leave-in conditioner for aloe vera and see if this helps keep your hair healthy.

Shaving Cream

Use aloe vera in place of traditional shaving cream to reduce irritation, hydrate your skin, and get a close shave. The aloe in an aloe vera plant offers up high amounts of water and enzymes to both moisturize and sooth sensitive skin. This natural shave gel can also be used out of the shower, after a shower, or during showers to reduce inflammation and other irritations due to shaving. One more thing worth mentioning is that aloe can be used after shaving to treat razor burn; just apply it a couple of times throughout the day for fast healing.

Moisturizer

Moisturizing skin with aloe vera will help your dermis retain water, which can prevent acne and keep your skin looking healthy and vibrant. Aloe vera contains vitamins A, C and E along with enzymes to settle inflammation and irritations associated with acne. Use aloe vera in place of your usual moisturizer to help maintain healthy skin without spending a lot of money each month on face moisturizers.

Managing Hair

In a pinch you can use aloe vera to tame fly-away strands of dry hair, or use it to keep short hair in place. Assuming your eyebrow hair is getting too long or if it’s sparse, use aloe vera gel and powder matching your hair color to define eyebrows and make the hair stay put.

Antiseptic

Minor cuts and scrapes can be treated with aloe vera to reduce the scarring and help keep infections to a minimum. If you’ve burned yourself with a flat iron or curling iron, then applying aloe to the affected area relieves pain and heals it. This is also true for burns that take place in the kitchen. Aloe is often used on sunburn because it has an immediate cooling sensation that relieves the pain associated with the burn.

How your Body benefits from Aloe Vera

Your immune system is just one more part of the body that benefits from aloe vera. Aloe stimulates your immune system by boosting response time for those who are sick or healing from an illness. Aloe vera also contains minerals highly important to all of the body’s system functions. When taken in high concentration, aloe vera is believed to stimulate the production of white blood cells to combat against viruses as well as tumors. It’s worth mentioning that the power of aloe is still being studied; some studies are trying to find possibilities to help treat cancer, HIV and even diabetes.

Aloe Juice

Aloe juice is made from the plant leaves that are left over when gel from the inside has been removed. Drinking aloe juice soothes a variety of discomforts that form inside of the body including colitis, ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome, and other digestive tract irritations. The anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and anti-viral capabilities of aloe vera are also able to help with digestion because they stimulate the release of pepsin, which is crucial for the body’s digestion.

Asthma Benefits

If you suffer from asthma, taking aloe vera orally may help alleviate the symptoms. The belief is that the anti-inflammatory agents along with immune-stimulating capabilities are what off-set the asthmatic symptoms – although this may not work for all people who try it.

Vitamins

Aloe vera also contains calcium, protein, magnesium, vitamins A, B12, C and E, as well as essential fatty acids. Thanks to all of these nutrients, this plant is capable of encouraging blood circulation and healthy blood vessels. If you happen to become stressed easily or often, try drinking the aforementioned aloe vera juice to reduce stress by boosting the functions of your adrenal gland.

Other Perks of Aloe

Aloe vera is a powerful organic healing plant that can relieve you of arthritis pain, bladder and kidney infections, cramps, hemorrhoids, insomnia and constipation. Aloe vera juice is a great body-cleansing drink that does more than most cleansers, and it can boost your energy too! Indigestion, ulcers, heart burn, and upset stomachs are also treated using aloe vera juice.

Before switching any of your current medications with aloe vera, be sure to consult a doctor to ensure your own safety. If you’re going to be using aloe vera on children, it’s always a good idea to ask their physician before treating the child yourself to avoid any complications. Aloe is a wonderful plant to have in your home, and with so many uses, it is well worth the money and time it takes to keep it alive